


Valentine's Day

by bulletincookie



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff, Human AU, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 15:44:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18318329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bulletincookie/pseuds/bulletincookie
Summary: A florist and a confectioner are incredibly busy on Valentine’s Day of course, but that doesn’t mean they can’t celebrate it after they close up shop. Or, at least, celebrate it like friends do, right?





	Valentine's Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! I wrote a oneshot for @askdoctoroliver and @ask-mr-luxembourg on tumblr bc they’re both sweethearts that deserve the world okay 
> 
> Oliver = 2p England, interpretation from @askdoctoroliver on tumblr  
> Claude = Luxembourg

Valentine’s Day was always a busy day for a confectionery and a flower shop, as was to be expected, especially when the two sat next to each other downtown. Claude, a calm and patient man, ran the flower shop while the confectionery was run by Oliver, a cheerful and kind-hearted man that Claude swore was as sweet as his candies. During the day, Claude knew they would both be too busy for him to visit Oliver, but he also knew the day didn’t end once their shops closed.

So, once he finally was able to close up shop at the end of the day, he was about to leave to see how Oliver did for the day, but his display for Valentine’s Day caught his eye. Unsurprisingly he had sold all of the roses he had prepared, but a few pots of pink and red tulips remained. He looked over each of them with a scrutinizing eye before picking one with a pale blue pot and softer pink tulips. He locked up his shop and headed next door, relieved that Oliver hadn’t left yet.

The bell gave a pleasant chime as he walked in. Claude always enjoyed walking into Oliver’s shop. Soft pink wallpaper with swirling cream decorations covered the walls, complimenting the wooden shelves that usually held premade boxes of chocolates and candies, though only a few stray boxes remained after the day. A couple of small round tables sat near the entrance, for customers that wished to sit with a cup of tea or coffee to enjoy their sweets with. The glass case that held all of the single chocolates was covered with a sheet. However, Claude’s favorite part of the shop was nowhere in sight.

“Mr. Kirkland?” he called out.

The back door opened, and Oliver strolled out a moment later, his apron dusted with powdered sugar. Claude noted that he must have had a busy day as well, if how mussed up his strawberry blonde hair looked was anything to go by. “I’m sorry, I’m closed– oh, Mr. Weis!” He brightened up at the sight of the florist. “How was your day? Successful, I hope?”

“Very much so. I almost never had a moment to sit down,” Claude sighed at the memory of the constant rush that day.

“Your feet must be sore. Would you like to rest here for a while? I just made tea,” Oliver offered.

“Thank you, I think I will take you on that offer,” Claude said. Any excuse to stay in the cozy shop was good. He held the tulips out to Oliver. “I brought you these. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Oliver’s ice blue eyes widened and he took the pot, turning it slightly to admire the pale pink tulips that were almost the same shade as his cheeks. “Oh, thank you. What lovely flowers, you’re a kind friend to give me these,” he said. He took the pot and walked away to set it on the windowsill. “I was just thinking today that window could use some decoration,” he mused. “It goes so well with the wallpaper too, how thoughtful.”

He stepped behind Claude and turned the lock on the door, and pulled the blinds down over the windows and door. “There. I am glad you stopped by, but I cannot take any more customers,” he said. “Now follow me, before the tea gets cold.”

Claude followed Oliver into the back room, the scent of chocolates making his mouth water. The back room was almost more comfortable than the main shop, with a cushioned couch and coffee table across the room from the kitchenette area where Oliver made everything by hand. The kitchenette area had tiled floors, but outside of it was plush carpet that made every step much more comfortable than the hard wooden flooring in Claude’s shop. A cinnamon candle flickered on the coffee table, next to a tray of chocolates and a radio that played soft piano music.

Claude sat down on the couch while Oliver went to the teapot on the stove and pulled out two mugs to fill with tea.

“I hope chamomile is alright. It was a busy day for me too,” Oliver said. “Would you like honey?”

“Yes, please and thank you. Chamomile is perfect,” Claude assured him. He couldn’t help but stare at the tray of sweets sitting on the coffee table. A few chocolates and candies looked misshapen or off color, and some heart-shaped sugar cookies were darker around the edges than Oliver normally cooked them as. However, to Claude, who had barely anything to eat that day, they looked like the most appetizing things in the world.

“May I have some?” he asked, pointing at the tray.

Oliver turned to look at him and blanched at the sight of the tray. “Oh goodness, I’m sorry. Those were failed batches that were too deformed to give to children, I was eating them before you came in. I will get some better looking ones from the front for you. It’s the least I can do for the flowers,” he said as he stirred the honey into their mugs.

Claude grabbed a misshapen chocolate, which he assumed was meant to look like a heart but looked more like a triangle with a small indent in the top. He popped it into his mouth, humming in content as the chocolate melted on his tongue.

“Mr. Weis–!”

“It tastes good as ever,” Claude assured him with a confident smile. “They may not look perfect, but they taste perfect and sweet as always, and that is all that matters, isn’t it?”

Oliver carried the mugs over and hesitated for a moment, looking at the misshapen sweets before sighing and sitting down next to Claude. “If you insist,” he said, handing one of the mugs to Claude before taking a sip of his own tea.

“Was today a good day for you as well?” Claude asked.

“Yes, but quite busy,” Oliver sighed. “I came in at 4 this morning to make sure I had enough stock ready for the day, and I still ran out of a lot.”

“Do you have any plans for tonight?” Claude asked, scooting closer to Oliver until their legs brushed.

Oliver visibly tensed at the contact and he glanced to the side as he held his mug close. “No, I think..only baking tonight to fill up the shelves again.”

“That sounds like a lot of work. I can stay and help, if you’d like,” Claude offered, taking a sugar cookie off of the tray to nibble on it.

“Oh, I could not possibly ask you to do that. I’m sure you have your own plans,” Oliver defended, a light worried frown on his face.

Claude smiled and wrapped his arm around Oliver’s shoulders. “I cannot think of any better way to spend Valentine’s. We could make it a date.”

“Yes, of course, a date as friends, right?” Oliver said with a weak laugh. “Ha, that reminds me. I had prepared boxes of chocolates, with the chocolates in letters that said ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’. One young man asked for me to replace the 'v’ in Valentine’s with a 'p’, so that it was 'Palentine’s’. A valentine who is your pal. Isn’t that clever?” he chuckled. “It’s a palentine’s date then.”

Ever the patient man, and also enjoying seeing Oliver so flustered, Claude pressed on. “I would rather have it be a real Valentine’s date, Oliver.”

Oliver coughed and cleared his throat. “Yes, I suppose it is ridiculous to give it a different name, isn’t it?” he mused. “A valentine does not have to be romantic, after all.”

“It could be romantic,” Claude insisted.

“Yes, yes, er, of course it can be, Valentine’s is seen as a romantic holiday first and foremost, but friendship truly is just as important, and I am glad to have such a friend like you,” Oliver agreed, his cheeks red as he pointedly stared down and to the side at a spot on the carpet. “And I would greatly appreciate the help. The shop was nearly cleared out today.”

Claude wondered if the confectioner’s head was filled with sugar with how sweet but oblivious he was. However, it was nothing new to him, so he only gave a small sigh and grabbed another chocolate to take a bite out of. Oliver was cute when he was flustered, though. “It’s a good thing I stopped by then,” he said. “You know you can call me, right? You have my number.”

“Yes, but I have been able to handle it,” Oliver assured him as he sipped at his tea. “It’s caused a few late nights and early mornings, but it is like this every year.”

“Is it not better to have company while you bake?”

“It does get quiet,” Oliver sighed. He smiled and gave Claude a small nudge. “But it’s okay, because I’ve got you here tonight,” he reasoned. “What a wonderful Valentine’s date, two friends baking together.”

“Yes,” Claude said, his grip tightening ever so slightly on his mug.

The piano music drifted lazily around the room as they drank their tea and ate the reject sweets. Oliver wished he could enjoy the comfortable silence that settled over them, but he sat tensed as Claude shifted to rest his cheek on top of his head. Cuddling was a friendly thing to do, right? Surely it must be. His cheeks warm, he shifted to try to get comfortable against Claude, though the tension never left his shoulders. He only hoped that Claude couldn’t feel how hard his heart hammered against his chest, as if he had run across town. Not that he knew why, Claude was his friend. It was normal for friends to sit close to each other, right?

Oliver finished his second cup of tea quickly, worried about dropping the mug from his hands shaking. “Maybe chamomile tea wasn’t the best idea so early,” he mumbled.

“Perhaps a quick rest before we start would help,” Claude suggested.

Oliver stood to gather up the now empty tray, teapot, and their mugs, trying to ignore how cold he felt without Claude’s arm around him. He glanced back at the couch with pursed lips. “There’s not enough room on the couch for both of us,” he pointed out.

Claude hummed in thought and took off his shoes to lay down on the couch while Oliver washed everything off.

“What if you sleep on top of me?” Claude suggested. Oliver nearly dropped the tray in the sink, and he turned off the water.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“You can sleep on top of me,” Claude repeated. “Lay down on top of me, and sleep.”

“No, no. I can sleep on the floor,” Oliver insisted. He walked back towards the couch, and moved to lay down in front of it. “Perfectly comfortable,” he reasoned.

“I think I would be more comfortable, and warmer too,” Claude reasoned with a mischievous smile.

“Yes but I am perfectly content down here, thank you.” To prove his point, Oliver turned on his side, his back to the couch. Claude turned to trail his fingers over Oliver’s shoulder.

“You’re too tense, you’ll be sore if you sleep down there for any longer than a few minutes,” he reasoned. “You cannot be in pain while you bake, it might result in more mistakes.”

Oliver pressed his lips into a thin line. Claude did have a point, and if he could avoid making any errors in his sweets, it would be a good opportunity to take. He glanced over his shoulder at Claude, who gave him an innocent smile.

“So?” Claude asked.

“…I will just have to take a short nap then before getting to work,” Oliver reasoned, turning back over. It almost felt like he didn’t need to nap anymore, with how fast his heart was racing. He jumped in surprise when Claude stepped over him to get up.

“Then I will sleep on the floor,” Claude said, sitting down on the floor cross legged. “So that you can sleep on the couch.”

“Mr. Weis, you are a friend and guest! I cannot let you sleep on the floor,” Oliver defended.

“Then I guess the couch will just have to go to waste, because I will not sleep on it unless you are sleeping on it as well,” Claude said, crossing his arms.

Oliver hesitated and sat up, looking at the couch and then at Claude. Would it really be so bad for friends to sleep on top of one another? As long as nothing happened, which it wouldn’t, then it was just a friendly gesture. He gave a resigned sigh and got to his feet.

“Fine,” he said as he sat on the couch to take off his shoes. Oliver tried not to stare too hard at the triumphant smile on Claude’s face as he laid down on his back and got comfortable. “Okay, come here.”

He looked over when he only got silence in response, and saw Claude covering his mouth as his face flushed bright red.

“What? You wanted me to lay on you a minute ago. Surely this is the same,” Oliver reasoned. Claude struggled to find the right words.

“Well, yes, but..I–” Claude paused and took a breath to regain composure, and he slowly hissed it out. “Okay.” He got up, stiff from trying to hold back how flustered he was, and hesitantly laid down on top of Oliver. He folded his arms on top of Oliver’s chest to rest his head on, and try to hide his red cheeks.

Oliver only hoped that Claude was too flustered to notice how fast his own heart was racing. “Yes, I do think this is more comfortable,” he agreed, wrapping an arm around Claude. “I think this has already been one of the best Valentine’s dates I have had in a while. Thank you for..for being such a good friend, Mr. Weis.”

Claude sighed and closed his eyes, unable to hide the slight smile tugging at his lips. “Of course. Happy Valentine’s day, Mr. Kirkland.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Leave a comment and kudos if you liked it >wo)


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